Editor’s note: The below recap contains spoilers for VisionQuest Episode 1. It’s been five long years since we last saw Vision (Paul Bettany) in the MCU, when the heartbreaking ending of WandaVision saw him fading away along with Billy (Julian Hilliard and Joe Locke) and Tommy (Jett Klyne and Ruaridh Mollica) when Wanda tearfully dropped the hex on Westview. But before that, he faced off with White Vision — the robot that S.W.O.R.D. reconstructed — before restoring his memories. VisionQuest is the direct result of this, following White Vision’s attempt to reconcile who he was and who he is today. In the words of Walt Whitman, he contains multitudes! Many, many multitudes.

‘VisionQuest’ Episode 1 Begins With Vision in Hiding

VisionQuest opens with Vision helping close down the pub he works at, struggling to make small talk with the owner, Fiona (Polly Frame). Despite his awkwardness, Fiona is kind, saying there’s nobody in the world quite like him. She invites him to Sunday dinner, but he declines, telling her he’s not good with people. After glancing at a heart carving in one of the tables, the initials W+V inside it, Vision retreats to the Mindspace — a mansion that lies within Vision’s brain and hosts other Stark AIs. We learn that Jarvis (James D’Arcy) is in charge of security, Edith (Emily Hampshire) is the head of fun, Friday (Orla Brady) helps with socialization, and Dum-E (Henry Lewis) and U (Jonathan Sayer) are in charge of maintenance. Jarvis is concerned that they have a data leak, but Vision isn’t worried, sure that he’s not on anybody’s radar anymore since he’s been lying low for so long. All of the AIs, however, are worried about the last member of their little family: Ultron (James Spader). Vision has restricted him to the loft away from everyone but ensures the others that they’ll be fine — they don’t know Ultron like he does. With that, Vision retreats to the movie theater in his mind to watch his restored memories, searching for the feelings that come with them.

Related

From ‘Iron Man’ to ‘WandaVision,’ Here’s Exactly How ‘VisionQuest’ Fits Into the MCU

Also discover the surprising inspirations behind the series and the Easter eggs to look out for when watching.

Ultron and Vision Reunite in ‘VisionQuest’ Episode 1

James Spader as Ultron and Paul Bettany as Vision in VisionQuestImage via Disney+

Vision’s peaceful night of reminiscing is interrupted by Dum-E and U putting on memories from Westview — something Vision has expressly forbidden. The two admit that Ultron put them up to it, and Vision storms into the loft to confront him. He gets even more frustrated when he sees Ultron in his robot form berating a food delivery driver from the balcony, ordering him to use his human avatar only. Vision insists that he doesn’t want to see any footage from Westview because it’s not real and therefore irrelevant to him understanding his old life and humanity, lamenting the fact that he no longer has the guide he once had in Wanda to help him make sense of things. But Ultron doesn’t buy it. He accuses Vision of being too scared to face the deep, dark emotions Westview brings up, coping by enslaving Stark AI with him. Ultron, surprisingly, seems to comprehend humanity better than Vision, saying that “when you’ve been bested by something, it’s best to understand it.” He looks at a painting in the corner of the room and is able to parse out emotions where Vision only sees objective brushstrokes, feeling torn about people. On one hand, they’re aspirational and lovely; on the other, they’re grotesque and constantly wallowing. If he were to ever escape from the loft, he’s unsure whether he’d visit all of the museums in the world or burn humanity to ash. Ultron warns Vision that he cannot simply observe the world forever without participating in it — someday, humanity is going to start watching him back.
‘VisionQuest’s Shocking Episode 1 Death Introduces Paladin

Todd Stashwick as Paladin and Paul Bettany as Vision in VisionQuestImage via Disney+

That day comes sooner rather than later, as Fiona is abruptly shot and killed at the dive bar the next night. Vision enlists Jarvis’ help to defend himself against the mercenaries that surround him. During their conversation, Jarvis reminds Vision that the old him would’ve responded with measure, but this Vision wants to try something new, changing from his human self into White Vision to defeat them with relative ease. He’s mourning Fiona when Edith comes in and gently suggests he exit through the skylight to safety. Once he’s outside, Vision spots Paladin (Todd Stashwick), who’s angry at his snipers for botching the mission and killing a civilian in the process. He’s speaking to his handler (Diane Morgan) over a headset when the client who hired him to capture Vision hijacks the communication and tears into him for the failed operation, harshly reminding him that he needs Vision intact. It turns out, the client is using S.W.O.R.D. encryption to hack the feed and watch the entire thing go down. The handler tracks Vision but warns Paladin that he’s moving fast. Paladin has an idea of how to find him, musing that “the best way to know what a thing is running to is to know what he’s running from.”

Jarvis encourages Vision to mourn Fiona, but he’s too deep in denial, insisting that they had no emotional attachment. Edith believes that the people who Vision encountered weren’t the main predators — a theory Vision agrees with. He recruits Ultron to be their bad guy, having Dum-E and U escort him down from the loft. Ultron offers some hilariously critical comments and a few hard truths: the other AIs, he says, aren’t there to actually offer counsel; they’re just there to make Vision feel heard. Vision wants to go offline and hide, but Ultron says he needs to get out there and fight. He can finally see the world, even if he’s running for his life in the process. This attitude makes Vision have a realization: Ultron knew that Paladin was hunting him. He puts the pieces together and accuses Ultron of leaking his location to the bounty hunter. Ultron takes responsibility for this and doesn’t have any regrets. He was simply speeding up the inevitable and giving Vision some much-needed direction and purpose. Vision is livid and hurt, saying he only kept Ultron alive because he was under the impression that Ultron was his father in some twisted way. Ultron encourages him to kill him like he should have done years ago, but Vision says that boredom is a fate worse than death for him, taking all sources of entertainment from the loft he’s trapped in.
‘VisionQuest’ Episode 1 Brings Tommy Shepherd-Maximoff Into the Mix

Lauren Morais and Ruaridh Mollica as Lisa Molinari and Tommy Shepherd in VisionQuestImage via Disney+

Paladin’s handler does some more digging into Vision, discovering the cover-up S.W.O.R.D. did about the hex in Westview by saying it was simply an Avengers training exercise gone wrong. In the process, she finds Tommy’s files. We’re then transported to London to meet a young man named Tommy Shepherd, who’s working with a young woman named Lisa Molinari (Lauren Morias) to scam a man in a pub. While Lisa thinks they should’ve done things the easy way by pickpocketing him, Tommy likes the art and finesse of something more elaborate. Outrightly stealing also means she has to be invisible, while Tommy’s more intricate methods of conning mean he can be anyone he wants to be. Lisa tries to playfully pickpocket Tommy, but their little game is interrupted by Tommy seeing Vision on the news, which triggers memories he doesn’t quite understand. To make matters even more complicated, the man from the pub realizes he’s been scammed and chases the two down the street. They manage to get away, but Tommy is shaken, and Lisa has to calm him down from his panic attack. They’re still far from in the clear, though, as Paladin corners them in the alleyway and kidnaps Tommy. He sends a signal to Vision, telling him that he has his son and showing him footage of Tommy testifying at a police station months ago about memories he has of Wanda and Vision as proof.
‘VisionQuest’ Episode 1 Is a Solid Setup for What’s to Come

Paul Bettany and James Spader as Vision and Ultron in VisionQuestImage via Disney+

VisionQuest’s pilot does a lot of heavy lifting in terms of reminding us what previously happened with these characters. It straddles the line well, never feeling boring for those who revisited the earlier projects more recently nor confusing or overwhelming for those who need a refresher. The connective tissue with Age of Ultron and WandaVision is clear from the beginning, not wasting any time announcing its place and purpose in the larger MCU.

As far as performances go, Spader instantly reminds us why he’s such an iconic character 10 years after Ultron last appeared. The combination of witty, cynical humor and genuinely thought-provoking philosophical questions gives the show a blend of comedy and substance. Mollica proves an instant standout as well despite being introduced in the eleventh hour. That con artist sequence is one for the books and would make ultimate scammer Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) proud. There are great moments of action, too. Fiona’s death is genuinely shocking, immediately setting the stakes high and letting us know that nobody is truly safe, and Vision’s fight with Paladin’s cronies is sleek and intense. Plus, who doesn’t love Diane Morgan adding some excellent beats of hilarity as Paladin’s handler? Add in some truly excellent production design — especially when it comes to the Mindspace, with all of its clever Vision-themed props — and you have a recipe for a highly promising pilot. VisionQuest solidifies itself as an excellent addition to the MCU from the get-go and a worthy conclusion to the beloved WandaVision trilogy. New episodes of VisionQuest premiere Wednesdays on Disney+.

Release Date

2026 – 2026-00-00

Network

Disney+

Directors

Vincenzo Natali, Christopher J. Byrne, Gandja Monteiro, Terry Matalas

Pros & Cons

VisionQuest efficiently reminds us of where all these characters are in their journeys.
James Spader and Ruaridh Mollica make excellent first impressions.
The action is sleek and the production design is stunning.